Chelmsford area hockey coach Susan D’Agostino wished a recent and unbiased perspective on the first day of tryouts this 12 months.
Former Northeastern midfielder Hannah Wein — her new assistant — took on the problem for D’Agostino and not using a sliver of prior information concerning the gamers. It wasn’t too lengthy earlier than she grew enthusiastic about one, both.
It wasn’t UMass-commit Remoré Serra, the most effective midfielders within the state. Nor was it her fellow senior captain and Bentley-commit Emily Stagnone. It wasn’t returning defender Ava Balan, any of the opposite returning starters, or for that matter, any of the various gamers with prior area hockey expertise.
She identified sophomore Jenna Nigro, selecting the one participant who simply picked up a stick for the primary time this summer time. She selected the one participant who solely lately gave up her real love in soccer, hanging up the pads after spending the final 10 years enjoying with the boys as a working again/linebacker.
Unknowingly, she selected the freshest beginner.
“You should’ve seen (Wein’s) face,” D’Agostino mentioned. “First, her mouth went open. Then she smiled and goes, ‘Oh my God, she’s going to be so good.’ ”
The first time D’Agostino noticed Nigro compete in something was met with a lot of the identical awe. With somewhat little bit of gymnastics, soccer, wrestling, hockey and softball rising up, Nigro had considerably unfold her title all through city. D’Agostino heard the title earlier than herself, and he or she was watching her youngest daughter pitch for the Lions softball workforce final spring when she noticed a sturdy, athletic freshman beginning at shortstop.
“I had heard her name tossed around before … there’s this softball player Jenna Nigro, Jenna Nigro,” D’Agostino mentioned. “She dives for this absolute line-drive of a ball, goes up to her knees, picks off a girl from her knees (for the double play). … I thought, “Wow, now THAT’s Jenna Nigro.”
That Jenna Nigro has became every thing D’Agostino might have wished in area hockey.
D’Agostino, a nut for aggression and confidence, naturally put the longtime linebacker on the coronary heart of the protection — heart again. Nigro fell in love with soccer for its fast bursts to the ball earlier than hitting as laborious as she might. If there have been ever an ideal place for her, it’s heart again. And the protection, which has allowed simply three targets in a 7-0 begin so far, is flourishing.
“Football has always been a major part of my life, and the things I’ve learned from football have translated over to field hockey. I think that’s what’s making me more successful,” Nigro mentioned. “I was taught to not be afraid of anything. Usually, I’m not afraid of contact and usually other girls are. So they see me running full speed at them, they’re going to get out of the way.”
Leaving soccer was somewhat troublesome for the sophomore, having such an in depth familial connection to it. Her household holds massive events for soccer Sundays, and her older brother, Austin, was a teammate for a lot of her profession.
A 12 months on the freshman workforce revealed to her, although, that it was coming to an in depth. She liked the thought of being a three-sport athlete, so it was only a matter of discovering an alternative to the autumn. Considering how D’Agostino preaches a killer mentality for her protection, this area hockey workforce was the proper match for Nigro.
“You would never know this kid had not played prior,” D’Agostino mentioned. “She takes every practice as a learning opportunity, she eats everything up and wants to get better all the time. Even after one of her best games this year, at 10 o’clock at night she texted me and said, ‘What can I do better, I need to improve?’ ”
“Every day in the summer I picked up my stick and did 30 minutes of dribbling and stickwork,” Nigro added. “I didn’t expect to make varsity or even start. … It was my goal to (though).”
After a considerably disappointing 12 months final season by which accidents, diseases and breakdowns led to an earlier exit than anticipated, Chelmsford enters its matchup with Div. 1 favourite Andover on Monday as a severe contender. A comeback win over Wachusett within the season opener confirmed simply how fierce the Lions are, and so they rode their defensive tenacity to their first win over Acton-Boxboro since 2011.
Five shutouts and a 34-5 objective differential coming into the weekend has this group buzzing. Serra and Stagnone pair with Jill Martin for a dominant midfield, whereas Nigro, Balan, Nina Fredericks and AnneMarie Tyros dominate on protection. Kate Harrison leads the assault.
Serra, a longtime starter, is happy about what this group can do.
“This year, it’s all connecting for everybody and we’re all on the same page no matter what skill level we have,” she mentioned. “We all just get it done. It’s great because we all just get along really well and the positivity is so high, the energy is so high. It’s just a great feeling so far.”
Rapid Fire
• It’s a disgrace Andover and Watertown’s first-ever assembly got here firstly of the 12 months, with every group lately discovering a groove. The Raiders (9-0) have received every of their final seven video games with a 7-0 rating to increase their win streak to 40, whereas the Golden Warriors (8-1) have shut out everybody since to get better from the opening loss.
• Braintree is off to a fabulous begin, constructing off final 12 months to return out 8-1 inside a troublesome convention. Bridget Lee has established herself as one of many state’s high scorers with two hat tips.
• Canton is shortly rising as a risk in Div. 2 with a bevy of spotlight reels. Izzy Digirolamo and Ellie Bohane have mixed for 5 hat tips over the previous couple of weeks to assist pin the Bulldogs at 6-2.
Source: www.bostonherald.com